Small Business IT Glossary for the Technically Challenged

For
Orange County small business owners, sometimes it can seem like their IT people
speak in a completely different language. “Your problem, Mr. Jones, is that
your SaaS is locking up because your network doesn’t have enough bandwidth to
send the data to the server.” (What??)

Server

A computer or software
program that “serves” data to other computers on the network. Most websites and
email exchanges are hosted on servers. Larger companies may have their servers
onsite; most small businesses host their websites on external servers provided
by whatever company is hosting the site.

Firewall

A piece of hardware or
software designed to monitor your network and block suspicious types of
traffic.

Bandwidth

This refers to the amount of
data that can be transmitted over a network at any given time. The more people
you have using the Internet at once, the more bandwidth you need to keep things
running smoothly.

Cloud Computing

The practice of accessing and
managing data, software and other IT services on remote computers (i.e., the
“cloud”) via the Internet. A growing number of businesses are turning to
cloud-based services because it is more cost-effective.

Software as a Service
(SaaS)

Essentially, software that is
rented on a subscription basis instead of purchased outright. SaaS products have
become more common thanks to cloud computing. Updates are usually included and
automatic, and subscription models make expensive software much more accessible
to small businesses.

Customer Relationship
Management (CRM)

A software program (often a
Saas) that helps companies track and manage interactions with their clients
and/or prospects.

Virtual Private Network
(VPN)

An encrypted internet connection
that gives the user an added layer of security when using public or unsecured
Internet networks (for example, when working on the wi-fi at a coffee shop).

Managed Services

Any service or function of
your business that is outsourced to a third-party company, either for a small
monthly fee or on a pay-as-you-go basis. Internet technology has made it much
easier for Orange County businesses to outsource services ranging from payroll
and bookkeeping to human resources and recruiting. NetServ offers managed IT
services to businesses who don’t want the headache of configuring, maintaining
or troubleshooting their own technology.

Even if you consider yourself
to be technically challenged, NetServ is committed to helping you understand
how to use your technology to your best advantage. If we can help, call us at 1-877-NetServ.